Vehicle rear structure

Abstract

A vehicle rear structure protects a battery unit in a rear-end collision. The vehicle rear structure has a battery unit positioned behind a torsion beam; first and second cross members spanning between side members; a frame member that supports the battery unit; a bridge member spanning from the first cross member to the second cross member, and connected at a rear flange to the second cross member; and reinforcements that are respectively disposed to the side members and reinforce the side members from the front edge to the rear edge of the second cross member. The torsion beam is positioned near directly below the second cross member. The side members slope down to the front from the front end part of the reinforcement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PENDING PROVISIONAL APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to Japanese Application No. 2012-151763 filed Jul. 5, 2012 and entitled “Vehicle rear structure”, which is assigned to the assignee hereof and which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD[0002]This disclosure relates to a vehicle rear structure for hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles.BACKGROUND[0003]Hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles that carry a battery for driving the vehicle in the rear portion of the vehicle body are known from the literature. When a vehicle with this type of vehicle rear structure is struck from the back in a rear-end collision, for example, the battery can move forward, contact an appropriate member (such as a suspension member) located in front of the battery, and be deformed or damaged. This vehicle rear structure must therefore be constructed to avoid contact between members when the vehicle is struck from the back (is in a rear-end collision)....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a rear structure for a vehicle that protects the battery unit in a rear-end collision. Reinforcements and a frame member are added in the rear zone where the side members overlap the second cross member. This increase in rigidity prevents the rear zone from easily deforming in a collision. In the front zone, a bridge member spanning from the first cross member to the second cross member is tensioned in the vehicle front-rear direction. This also prevents the front zone from easily deforming in a collision. Overall, the invention ensures that the battery unit is protected in a collision.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the rigidity of the rear zone is increased by the reinforcements and the frame member, and the rear zone is not easily deformed in a rear-end collision.

In the front zone, the bridge member spanning from the first cross member to the second cross member is tensioned in the vehicle front-rear direction and is therefore not easily deformed in a rear-end collision.

However, because the pair of reinforcements is not on the front side of the boundary between the front zone and the rear zone, or more specifically the position where the second cross member ends, rigidity is low.

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